First I wanted a serene pale blue/green bedroom so I ended up with a lot of fabrics and a bed skirt and a pillow in those colours. I have a love/love relationship with brown so I also ended up with two sets of brown sheets and beautiful embroidered satin pillow cases that I couldn't resist buying in India. I inherited a blue and white duvet cover that I never would have chosen for myself but really like. And the moment I saw an antique dresser in a shop a few years ago I knew that I was going to buy it and paint it Chinese red.

In my other living arrangements these elements were in separate bedrooms or even other rooms in the house and all worked. But now that I want all of them in the same bedroom I knew it was going to be a challenge. Painting the dresser is not an option because I just love it and the frame I've painted to match. Changing the wall colour is/was an option. Buying a new duvet cover was my plan but I've been keeping my eye open for months and haven't seen anything that has all of these colours in it. I considered making my own duvet cover again if I don't find anything I like by the time I return from my trip to Sweden this summer.

On Monday morning I woke up with the idea that I could make a painting with all these colours in it and later that afternoon I just happened to find two paintings already made! Sorry the photo quality isn't great (I'd never post anything if I perfected all the photos first!) but you'll have to trust me that it all works together. The background of the paintings (a natural linen sort of look) even works with the current and soon to be wall colours! And the paintings were only $30! I couldn't even get canvas and paint for that much! Are you starting to believe how lucky I am?!

The new paintings remind me a bit of two triptychs I did and sold about ten years ago.